Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters

Made by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks P/L

Origin: Australia

Imported into the UK by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks UK Pty Ltd

This sparkling soft drink is a pale pink colour, clear and bright, with fine bubbles that rise steadily to the surface from various points in the glass.

On the nose a deep lime aroma: Key lime pie, dusted with allspice, plus notes of ginger and quinine. This is very appetising. As with many lemon & lime drinks, the lemon struggles to compete with its more delicate freshness.

On the palate a juicy and nicely concentrated lime flavour, followed by soft cinnamon. Persistent, mouthwatering and with a lovely tart balance...this is refreshing stuff. The bitters flavours add a spicy dimension: Cloved orange, ginger and quinine. They bring a light bitterness with them, perfectly balanced between the sugar and citrus. The cinnamon note that made an early appearance now lingers on the finish.

Packaging claims: Naturally brewed to be better, crafted from real lemons and limes, [naturally brewed] from real herbs and tropical spices

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, lime juice from concentrate (6.3%), bitters brew (4.8%) (water, cane sugar, tropical spices, gentian root, yeast), lemon juice from concentrate (0.8%), acid (citric acid), antioxidant (E300), flavour, colour (E120), preservatives (E211, E220)

Price: Should be about £1.40-£1.50 for a 340ml glass bottle, available from Waitrose and selected supermarkets, and specialist retailers

7 Up

Made by: Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Origin: USA

Imported into the UK: Britvic plc






7 Up was originally formulated in St Louis, Missouri, USA in 1929. Until 1950 the drink contained lithium citrate, a mood stabilising drug, and was marketed as a hangover cure. The choice of name remains a mystery the inventor refused to explain. Since 1986 the brand rights have been owned by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

7 Up is a clear, bright colourless liquid. It is carbonated with medium sized, uneven bubbles that soon settle down in the glass after the drink is poured.

Fleeting but enticingly sweet on the nose, the aroma is a mouthwatering fusion of lemon & lime in a familiar dual role, all dusted with powdered sugar.

Light again but satisfyingly flavoured, the first sensation on the palate is an 'up-front' sweetness. Before the sugars can begin to threaten however, the acids cut through to bring things swiftly under control.

As with other lemon & lime flavoured drinks, it's the lime flavours that provide most of the running here, and appear to dominate, with the lemon in support and more closely allied to the sweetness underneath.

Despite 7 Up's modest finish, light feel, and undoubted appeal to sweeter tastes, there is enough balance between the elements and (critically) concentration of flavour to refresh and cleanse the palate.

Packaging claims: Natural Lemon and Lime flavour, no preservatives, no colourings, no caffeine

Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavouring, malic acid, acidity regulator (sodium citrate)

Price: Should be between £0.50-£0.60 for a 330ml can, widely available

Sprite

Made by: Coca-Cola Co

Origin: USA

Imported in the UK: Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd





The Coca-Cola company launched Sprite in 1961, to compete with 7 Up in the sparkling lemon & lime flavour category. 7 Up's popularity had grown steadily since the 1920s. Sprite was initially marketed as a drink mixer (like bitter lemon or tonic) for use with alcoholic drinks like vodka and whisky.

Sprite is an almost colourless, clear carbonated drink with a very faint yellow hue. It emits a steady stream of fine pinhead bubbles when poured.

The nose is very light, pleasant but fleeting. The aromas, as with the flavours, have been carefully spliced together so as to be almost inseperable. Teasing them apart reveals a sliver of lime marmalade, a drop of Jif lemon juice and a sprinkled mix of powdered sugar and crushed Disprin tablet.

On the palate Sprite is a light (read well-diluted), sweet soda with ephemeral flavours of Key lime pie, Rose's lime cordial and lemon tart filling. The faint powdery aroma (Disprin again) barely emerges in the flavour before the drink disappears in a short finish.

Packaging claims: A fresh tasting, sparkling lemon & lime soft drink; Real lemon & lime flavour, no artificial colours, caffeine free

Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, acidity regulator (E331), flavourings, preservative (E211)

Price: Should be about £0.50-£0.60 for a 330ml can, widely available